Chargeable package for liquids



Oct. 31, 1967 R. E. KRUGGER 3,349,965

CHARGEABLE PACKAGE FOR LIQUIDS Filed Oct. 1-2, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- RICHARD E. KRUGGER BY 62m -k Ow;

ATTORNEYS R. E. KRUGGER 3,349,965

CHARGEABLE PACKAGE FOR LIQUIDS Filed Oct. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RICHARD E. KRUGGER BY 144% I 1 v ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1967 R. E. KRUGGER CHARGEABLE PACKAGE FOR LIQUIDS INVENTOR. R ICHARD E. KRUGGER BY 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IFIGQ6 Filed Oct. 12, 1965 Wm I Wal ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,349,965 CHARGEABLE PACKAGE FOR LIQUIDS Richard E. Krugger, West Bridgewater, Mass., assiguor to Thermoplastic Industries, Inc., Brockton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 495,151 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-80) This invention relates generally to packages of the sort comprising semi-rigid cartons with flexible bag liners of liquid impervious film for containing a quantity of liquid and more particularly is directed towards a package of the foregoing type wherein the liquid contents may be conveniently carbonated when ready for use.

In the food packaging industry there has recently developed a new type of container for packaging bulk liquids such as milk and the like. This package typically comprises a relatively stiff paperboard box in which is disposed a flexible bag having a volume substantially the same as the box and provided with a valving device for dispensing the contained liquid. Packages of this type have been particularly useful for packaging, shipping and dispensing bulk liquids insofar as the package is relatively low in cost and is disposable once the contents have been emptied.

This eliminates the expense of collecting, cleaning and refilling bottles and cans which have been widely used heretofore in the sale of bulk liquids.

Packages of the foregoing class heretofore have been employed only for uncarbonated beverages for the reason that the package is not adapted to retain the carbonation over an extended period or to withstand the internal pressure developed by carbonation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disposable bag-lined box container adapted to have the liquid contents thereof carbonated quickly and easily when ready for use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a low-cost disposable container for liquids adapted for ready carbonation when the contents are to be drawn off.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel device for carbonating liquids within a container.

More particularly this invention features a package for liquids, comprising a relatively rigid box having a flexible liquid-impervious bag disposed therein. The bag isprovided with a nozzle which in use extends out through one wall of the box. A small tube is mounted to the valve with one end extending into the bag and the opposite end extending out through the nozzle. The outwardly projecting tip of the tube is adapted to puncture and connect with the end of a C0 bottle which may be mounted thereto by means of a novel accessory to permit the liquid contents of the package to be carbonated when desired.

However, these and other features of the invention, along with further objects and advantages thereof, will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, showing a package made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional view in side elevation showing the nozzle portion of the package,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the valve attachment and charging bottle being placed in position,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the charging bottle fully seated in position,

FIG. 6 is a view in front elevation of a valve attachment, and,

3,349,965 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 FIG. 7 is a view in perspective showing a modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 10 generally indicates a package for bulk liquids comprising a box 12 typically a carton of corrugated paperboard or relatively heavy rigid stock. The carton may be impregnated with various materials to enhance the rigidity and render the walls moisture resistant. Also, the package may be further improved by a relatively tight-fitting plastic film 14 of thermoplastic material shrunk over the box. Various materials, other than the paperboard may be employed to fabricate the box. For example, a paper-metal laminate in which a corrugated sheet of relatively thin steel or aluminum is bonded between plies of paperboard provides a particularly strong and rugged box of relatively light weight; also an insulating stratum such as foam plastic or aluminum foil, for example, may be utilized to advantage.

In any event, the carton is of relatively rigid rectangular construction and there is disposed within the carton a flexible bag or bladder 16 which lines the interior of the box and is adapted to contain a quantity of liquid. Typically, the bag liner is an imperforate thermoplastic film such as polyethylene for example, generally corresponding to the size and shape of the box so that when the bag is filled it will conform more or less to the shape of the box.

Bonded to one end of the bag 16 is a valve 18 typically molded from a semi-rigid plastic material. The valve 18 is generally of tubular construction formed with a relatively wide base flange 20 which is heat sealed to the margins of an opening 22 formed in the bag 16. The valve body is formed with a radial shoulder 23 spaced from the flange 20 to bear against the outer surface of a front wall 24 of the carton 12. In this fashion the flange 20 and the annular shoulder 23 cooperate to lock the valve in place preferably at the lower corner of the carton in the front wall 24.

In practice, the front wall is formed with a slotted opening 26 whereby the valve may be inserted edgewise from the bottom edge of the wall 24. The carton may be formed with a tongued flap 28 in a bottom wall 30 immediately adjacent the front wall 24. When the package is in storage or shipment, the nozzle portion may be packed inside the carton and a punch-out may be employed to close the box slot opening 26. When the carton is ready for use the flap 28 may be opened, the nozzle pulled out and slipped edgewise into the opening 26 after the punch-out section has been removed. Thereafter the flap 28 may be closed and the carton is ready for use.

Referring again to the valve 18, it will be seen in FIG. 2 that the valve body is formed with a spout 32 at the lower front end thereof. Inwardly projecting radial shoulders 34 define a valve seat adapted to cooperate with a valve disc 36. The valve disc is connected by a stem 38 to a spring diaphragm 40 located at the front end of the valve. It will thus be understood that depression of the diaphragm 40 will serve to unseat the valve disc to permit the liquid to be drawn off from the bag through the opening 32. Release of the diaphragm 40 will return the valve disc to a closed position.

Mounted to the valve 18 is an L-shaped tube 42 of relatively small diameter. The tube 42 has a relatively long shank portion 44 extending axially through the valve into the interior of the bag 16. The tube is formed with a bend at the center of the valve to define a relatively short leg 3 at the bend of the tube whereby the leg portion 46 will be held in position with the tip projecting outwardly as shown.

The tube 42 serves to introduce a carbonating gas such as CO into the liquid packaged within the carton. The function of the tube is to permit the liquid to be carbonated just prior to use so that the liquid when it is drawn off will be highly effervescent which would not be the case if the liquid were packaged originally in a carbonated condition.

In order to introduce the carbonating gas into the liquid an attachment 52 is provided for mounting on the valve 18. This attachment comprises a shaped cage 54 formed with an elongated concave upper portion 56 having sidewalls 58, a rear wall 60 and a top wall 62. The front of the cage is open to permit a C bottle 64 to be placed therein. The sidewalls 58 extend downwardly to form a hoop portion 66 which passes around the lower portion of the valve when the attachment is slipped over the end of the valve. As best shown in FIG. 6, the rear wall 60 is cut away at 68 to permit the projecting tip 48 of the tube 42 to be cleared when the attachment 52 is being mounted in position.

When the attachment 52 is in place, the CO bottle 64 is connected in an inverted position. As best shown in FIG. 4 the lower end of the bottle is placed over the projecting tip 48 and then the upper end of the bottle is swung into the cage into a substantially vertical position. When the bottle is mounted thus, a screw element 70, having a concave member 72 attached to its lower end, is screwed downwardly to force the bottle 64 down over the pointed tube tip 48. The bottle is forced down over the tip and the seal which is formed over the bottle opening is broken or punctured thereby releasing the pressurized gas within the bottle through the tube 42 to thus charge the liquid within the package.

In practice, the package may be sold with the cage and bottle as a single package and once the contents have been emptied the entire package may be discarded. Alternatively, the package may be sold separately from the cage attachment and the CO bottle insofar as the cage and bottle may be reused by recharging the bottle and placing the cage on other packages equipped with the projecting tube. Also, in practice, the tube may be sealed by any suitable means such as a cork or the like to prevent leakage of the liquid therethrough during storage or shipment.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a modification of the invention and in this embodiment the box comprises a double carton arrangement wherein a rectangular inner carton 74 is telescoped within a rectangular outer carton 76. This provides a simple arrangement whereby the container is made capable of withstanding the pressures developed by the release of the pressurized gas into the liquid.

It will be understood that various types of consumable liquids may be packaged in this fashion. For example, beer or soft drinks may be conveniently carbonated when ready for use. This makes the package particularly useful at picnics, parties or other gatherings wherein a relatively large quantity of carbonated liquid refreshment is desired. Beverages may thus be stored for extended periods at low cost in convenient portable packages and the contents quickly and easily carbonated when ready for use. If a particularly strong box such as the metal-paper laminate structure or telescoping sections is used the contents could be packaged in a carbonated condition insofar as the box would be capable of withstanding high internal pressure for extended periods. Once the contents have been consumed, the entire package may be discarded thus avoiding the normal inconvenience of cash deposits and return of the more expensive returnable type containers such as bottles, cans and kegs.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiments it will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A package for carbonated liquids, comprising (a) a disposable rigid box of corrugated paperboard material,

(b) a flexible liquid impervious bag disposed within said box and adapted to contain a quantity of liquid,

(c) a rigid valve bonded to said bag and adapted to extend through a wall of said box for draining said liqiuid from said bag,

(d) a tube mounted to said valve having one end extending lengthwise through the center of the valve passage into said bag and the other end projecting perpendicularly out through said valve,

(e) a spider member mounted in said valve across the valve passage and supporting said tube, and

(f) a holder for a pressurized bottle detachably mounted on said valve exterior to said box whereby a pressurized bottle of carbonated gas may be connected to said tube to carbonate said liquid, said holder including a hoop portion for engaging said valve and a screw threaded to said holder for forcing said bottle against the projecting end of said tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,596,414 5/1952 Knapp 239373 X 2,774,521 12/ 1956 Creighton 222-399 2,794,579 6/1957 McKernan 222--399 3,173,579 3/1965 Curie et al. 222-105 3,191,810 6/1965 Johnston 222183 3,206,075 9/1965 Scholle 222105 3,243,084 3/1966 Stegner 222 3,255,972 6/1966 Hultgren 239373 3,272,404 9/1966 Graves et al 222396 FOREIGN PATENTS 28,975 6/ 1931 Australia. of 1930 1,195,590 5/1959 France.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 

